You Win...
After a weekend of discussion with intellectuals who support President Obama’s recant statement and his decision to have a beer with Officer Crawley. I give up and leave you in the hands of your President.
My favourite poem contains the following lines. “Take this as a word of warning. If they’re coming for me tonight, they’ll be coming for you in the morning.”
I was never raised to ignore an injustice because it doesn’t happen to you. I don't believe that you go along with the program unless it’s your family member.
In honestly discussing The Gates/Crawley/ Cambridge Police issue I find many of my friends agree that the police/officer Crawley did act stupidly. However, when I voice disgust with president Obama for going back on that, the same intellectuals say that I’m too harsh.
Personally, if Obama were not Black and recanted on that statement, I would be more harsh and critical. I believe my friends would be harsher as well. I also believe that if we were talking about Clarence Thomas or Armstrong Williams, my friends would be harsher.
I believe that by offering to have a beer at The White House with Officer Crawley that Obama sends the message that “it’s okay to harass Black men in their home. It's okay to continue to harass a Black Man who has given 2 forms of valid I.D to police, as long as the officer believes Black men should not be able to be in certain neighbourhoods. And if there are black men there they must be criminals engaging in criminal activity.
Personally I don’t stand with the President in saying that’s okay. However, a number of my friends do. Even more troubling a number more of my friends who include teachers, writers, entertainers, parents and other professionals, some of whom have been wrongly profiled by police, think President Obama having a beer with Crawley is a good idea and sends the right message.
So I give up on this one. I am someone who is in the spotlight and if something happens to my family or me based on an out of control police officer I will take it to the papers, magazines, radio and TV. However, I would be crazy (which I am not ) to get upset about situations that happen to the Sean Bell’s of the world, to risk my standings or anything else when the President wants to have a beer with these kind of police. Why should I care about what happens when your child or family member are attacked by police, when you don’t care as long as when the next incident happens it’s not to anyone you care for? I wouldn't want anyone's child to run into Officer Crawley, But I don't have kids. And if people with kids don't care? Again. Why should I?
My only advice is this. The best way not get racially profiled is to either A) become a police officer or B) get as famous as possible so that if you run into a "stupid" police officer, they may recognize you or you may get a high profile case like “Skip” Gates.
In the event that you do have a problem with police call me. I won’t cover your story but I will want to reflect on the day our President got punked by Cambridge Police and invited one for beer at the White House.
"Take this as a word of warning. If they're coming for you tonight? you're own your own."
